


Forgotten Photographs

by transfixme_quite



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-23
Updated: 2012-07-23
Packaged: 2017-11-10 12:38:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/466372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transfixme_quite/pseuds/transfixme_quite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles gets a startling reminder of the way things used to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forgotten Photographs

[ ](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lr4vtjYDJF1r2hy73o1_1280.png)

Charles wondered if someone was playing a cruel joke on him. He hadn’t seen these photos in months. In fact, he had quite purposefully put them away in a box in one of the many unused rooms in his mansion. Far on the other side.  He was used to having tea in the morning, having a small few moments to himself, in his room, in his bed, with his own thoughts, and possibly someone else’s if the need arose.  Right now, however, he finally felt invaded, and it wasn’t a good feeling. Not like this.  
  
He had reached for his cup of tea, took a sip, and placed it back on the nightstand, only then switching on his light. He almost knocked over his tea when he saw what he’d placed it on. Hyperventilating wasn’t a good idea, however, so he picked up the cup, and slowly, carefully, picked up the photo underneath it.  It was a photo of Erik, now stained from the rim of his teacup. A photo Charles himself took, part of a series of photos.  Charles stroked the photograph and sighed, remembering the night like it was only yesterday.  
  
He and Erik had been drinking over yet another game of chess; Spirited discussions turned into bantering fueled by spirits, and location had changed from chairs, to the floor in front of the fireplace. Charles had a hard time averting his eyes from Erik’s long, stretched out body, and he kept visualizing Erik as a piece of art with every reposition.  
  
“It’s a shame all these poses you’re falling into are being put to waste.” Charles said through a laugh and a slur.  Erik, who had just been exposing his long neck as he gazed at the ceiling above him, turned his gaze to his quite tipsy friend with a question in his eyes.  
  
“I’m not posing, Charles, I’m merely relaxing. It was a beautiful Scotch you shared this evening, and I’m savoring every moment of the warmth that it filled me with.”  
  
“Oh Erik.” Charles laughed again. “If I had my camera, I would show you exactly what you’re laying there doing.”    
  
Erik smirked, a twinkle flickered in his eye. “And what am I doing?” He gingerly ran his fingers through his hair, now fully aware, and teasing Charles with all his might.  
  
“That.” Charles chuckled. He took another sip from his glass and held a finger up to Erik. “Hold on.” He stood quickly, and made his way to one of the bookshelves in the study. He returned with a small black camera, as he secured and adjusted the flash on top. “Stand up… And…” Charles grabbed for Erik’s jacket, which had been earlier tossed aside when they first arrived. He held it out to Erik as he stood, and Erik looked suspicious, but smiled as he slid it back on.   
  
“We’re really doing this, hmm?” Erik said, and Charles nodded, holding the camera up to his face, finger hovering over the shutter button.  
  
“Now, don’t do anything. Just….. be.” Charles said, his tone sounding much richer than it had earlier. Erik stood, staring at Charles, waiting for something to happen. Charles moved the camera from his face and shook his head. “It’s too formal, you look wound up. Here.” Charles walked over and ran his own fingers through Erik’s hair, loosening the style until it was quite messy. “Why don’t you wear the jacket alone, as well. I want you to look unprepared.”   
  
“I’m never unprepared, Charles.” Erik replied, raising an eyebrow.   
  
“Yes, I know, darling, that’s why I am requesting it.” Charles quipped. He watched Erik slowly remove his jacket, then his shirt, the flickering fire casting shadows along his toned body. Charles swallowed deep, and cleared his throat, realizing he was staring too intensely. Erik observed Charles’ terrible effort to act calm, but said nothing. He slid back into his jacket, now with no shirt underneath, buttoning the buttons up slowly.  
  
“Ready when you are. I’m even prepared at looking unprepared.” Erik teased, and Charles seemed satisfied with his newly madeover photo subject. Erik watched Charles as he stalked around Erik, camera to his face, snapping carefully. Erik smiled and lowered his head, looking back up at Charles with just his eyes.  
  
“Stunning, just stunning.” Charles said quietly, more as a personal observation than as motivation for Erik, though Charles’ fascination intrigued Erik, and he began to pose a little for Charles. A hand on a hip, tilting his neck, feigning a contented stretch, the jacket rising with his arms to reveal a bit of flesh. Charles licked his lips and continued snapping, choosing specific moments to capture.  “Give me a model pose… Just be really raw and over the top for me.”  Charles said, a grin overtaking his face. Erik rubbed his face with his hand, laughing and nodded.  
  
“Only for you, Charles.”  And he did, and with a single movement, Charles felt like the wind was knocked out of him, for he had never found Erik more bewitching than in that moment. Almost hypnotizing.  
  
And this, this was the photo he now held in his hands. The photo he had no intent to see again. Not this soon, anyway. He could see some raised lettering on the photo, as if someone had written on the back. He flipped it over, and it was just as he thought. Until he read it.  
  
 _“I’m never unprepared. Take this as you will. - Erik”_  
  
Charles’ heartbeat sped up as he took in the entire meaning of this. Erik had clearly found his way into the mansion with no one knowing, not even Charles. He looked for these photos, searched for them, and searched hard and long. For that shot particularly, the one he knew had taken Charles’ breath away. This was a threat, and an offer, all at once. 

He missed Erik desperately, and for a flash, he thought that he’d have exchanged everything he worked for just to be with Erik again.  He sadly chuckled to himself as he thought how happy he was that he was the telepath, and not his old friend.  He frowned, admiring his lost work of art, now quite possibly forever destroyed. Charles wondered, if he could just catch Erik once without that bloody helmet, might he be able to restore him?  Fleeting invocation. Charles was still half asleep and on edge from this message, and he sank back into the reality that the other half of his soul was gone.


End file.
